Who Lives Here?
Image from Pixabay, Title: Broken
Who lives here? Everywhere I look, I see boxes. Boxes piled one on the other, against every wall. Boxes delivered but never opened. Things bought but never used. Magazines and mail, unopened, sit in unsteady piles on the coffee table, alongside odds and ends that also did not belong there, but which had no choice but to make that table their home. On every chair sit empty food containers and soda cans … guests who have long since outworn their welcome.
Who lives here? I wondered, as my teary eyes took in the disarray, as my feet wandered cautiously through the cluttered rooms. Pain ripped my heart. I thought I knew who lived here. I did know the name. I even knew the face. But I didn’t know … this.
Her home is full of things old and new; ostensibly, the house is teeming with life. But there was no life. That energy had died long ago. The sights of sadness overwhelmed my senses. Loneliness came out of the shadows, shouting from each corner of every room. But there had been nobody there to hear.
She stood in the doorway now, a brooding, silent shell of the woman I knew. Watching me, sensing my disbelief.
It was a surprise visit. Perhaps I should have called first. But then I would never have known.
I look her way, a question in my eyes, and see despair in hers. But despair could not hide her shame, for all the things she could not honor.
I reach out to her and, without a word, she enters the safety of my arms. I hold her tight and reassure her that everything is all right . . . everything will be just fine.
Who lives here? Depression lives here.
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Gosh, Emily, this is a very powerful post.
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Because it’s real, Robbie. I made such a visit, and it made such an impact that the title came to mind immediately, and haunted me until I put the rest to paper.
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Well written. Depression is a killer alright. If not your body, then your soul.
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Thanks, Andrew. And you’re right about depression killing a soul. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Very sad.
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Reblogged this on Viv Drewa – The Owl Lady.
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Thanks for sharing, Viv 🦉❤️🦉
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You’re very welcome, Chris! Been busy writing.
Hugz on owl wings! @v@ ❤
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Thanks for the reblog, Viv. Much appreciated!
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You’re very welcome, Emily!
Hugz on owl wings! @v@ ❤
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The best kind of hugs!
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Very poignant, evoking what it must be like to be imprisoned by depression.
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Thank you for reading and for your comment, Janet. You said exactly what I hoped the story would convey, so I take that as a huge compliment.
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Just as a slight clarification….the Pixabay image didn’t have a name/title. So “Broken” was what I called it. I think whoever created that photo would probably like that name for it.
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Reblogged this on The Life & Times of Zoe the Fabulous Feline and commented:
My human’s story. She tells me she’s having problems logging in as herself to respond to folks who are posting on our beloved Ape’s site, so she has asked that I respond to all posters for her. I guess I can do that.
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Thanks to Zoe for pitching in a minute ago. Thought I’d give it another try, to post via Facebook account and it worked. I didn’t do anything differently this time, though, so…..WordPress is sometimes very weird!
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Reblogged this on Legends of Windemere.
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Thanks for the reblog, Charles. Emily appreciates it very much!
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You’re welcome. 🙂
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